OTA Device Hash Verification for Legitimate Firmware Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Over-the-Air (OTA) technologies lack a secure method to verify the legitimacy of devices, leading to potential leakage of important software and firmware information, which can result in malicious attacks and copyright violations.
Innovation Solution
An OTA device equipped with a control state register, sorting setter, and hash calculator, which uses a hardware-implemented sorting setter to generate a device-side hash result that is compared with a server-side hash result, establishing an over-the-air connection only when both match, ensuring the device's legitimacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If OTA server performs remote updates without device legitimacy verification, then update efficiency is improved, but security and information protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing device legitimacy verification before allowing remote updates. The server checks whether the device is an original device sold by the manufacturer before transmitting update packages, preventing unauthorized devices from receiving updates. This preliminary verification mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining update efficiency for authorized devices while blocking harmful access for unauthorized devices.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If device legitimacy verification is implemented before updates, then security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a verification mechanism that acts as a mediator between the server and the update transmission process. The server checks device legitimacy using verification information stored in the database before allowing updates. This intermediary verification layer adds security without significantly complicating the overall system, as it operates as a straightforward check-before-transmit protocol.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hash algorithm and sorting method are made non-writable after manufacturing, then security against tampering is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by programming the hash algorithm and sorting method into non-writable memory during the manufacturing process. These verification parameters are set once during factory programming and cannot be modified afterward, ensuring security against tampering. This approach resolves the contradiction by establishing security through initial configuration while avoiding the need for complex post-manufacturing modification mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An Over-the-Air (OTA) method includes controlling the current state using a control state register. The method includes recording the current state and the hash algorithm. A sorting setter obtains a random number from a server. The method includes sorting the random numbers according to a preset sorting method to obtain a sorting parameter. A hash calculator uses the sorting parameter as the input of the hash algorithm. The hash algorithm outputs a device-side hash result and transmits the device-side hash result to the server through a transmission device. After the server receives the device-side hash result, it compares the device-side hash result with the server-side hash result calculated by the server.